Cayetano: Mamasapano clash a terror attack, massacre

MANILA, Philippines–For Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that killed 44 elite cops was a “terror attack and a massacre.”

“My observation was the incident was really a terror attack. It was really a massacre,” Cayetano said Thursday in an ambush interview.

Cayetano went to the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame to visit several policemen who survived the deadly gunbattle in Mamasapano.

“I’m so convinced that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front hasn’t turned its back from becoming a terrorist group,” the Senator said.

Survivors from the Special Action Force had been admitted to the PNP GH after they figured in an encounter with members of the MILF and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters on January 25.

Cayetano said some of them suffered severed limbs and serious head injuries, proving claims that the Muslim rebels mutilated some policemen who were out to arrest a Malaysian terrorist in their camp.

The “Operation Exodus” was allegedly ordered executed by suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima. The police-led operation to arrest Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, however, led to a brutal carnage of 44 elite SAF commandos.

“Isipin niyo, naubusan ng bala ang government eh well-planned itong law enforcement mission. Samantalang ang BIFF at MILF, hindi naubusan,” he pointed out.

Both camps are claiming that there had been no coordination between two parties about the operation. Some anonymous sources in earlier reports said the PNP did not tell the Muslim groups that they will arrest Marwan, thinking the MILF and BIFF are coddling terrorists.

Cayetano said about two or three policemen had told him that the SAF had earlier informed the MILF of their previous operations to serve arrest warrant against Marwan but the latter was able to escape.

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